The Girl Who Cried Pearls () is a 2025 Canadian animated short film, directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski. Made through stop-motion animation, the film centers on a young boy who meets and falls in love with a girl who secretly weeps pearls at night.Chris Robinson, "The Offbeat Production Methods Of The NFB’s Stop-Motion Film ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’". Cartoon Brew, June 19, 2025.
The initial inspiration for the film came during the production of the duo's 2007 short film Madame Tutli-Putli, when a prop necklace unexpectedly fell apart, scattering pearls across the set, as they were filming the climactic scene.Jennifer Wolfe, "‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ Directors Discuss Crafting a Modern Fable in Miniature". Animation World Magazine, June 9, 2025.
At the 98th Academy Awards, it won for Best Animated Short Film.
Plot The film begins in modern-day Paris, where a young girl explores her grandfather's study, discovering a pearl kept within a treasure box. Her grandfather explains that it's his most priceless treasure, and delves into the story of how he obtained it.
The story unfolds in early 20th-century Montreal, a poor boy living near the harbor survives by scavenging food and small items from shipments. He lives in an empty room beside an apartment housing a small family: a young girl abused by her cruel stepmother, and her frail father unable to help. At night, when the girl cries herself to sleep, her tears turn into pearls, of which she disposes the next morning in shame. The boy manages to retrieve the pearls and takes them to the local, merciless pawnbroker, who takes them to the jeweler for appraisal; the jeweler admits that he's never seen a similar pearl, and surmises that they are priceless. Though the pawnbroker initially doesn't believe the boy's fantastical story, the jeweler points to a biblical story of Eve's tears turning to pearls.
After lowballing the boy for the pearls, the pawnbroker urges him to collect more and build a partnership with him. The boy is initially unwilling, since he loves the girl and does not want to see her cry, even using his first bounty to buy her chocolates so that she will go to bed happily, but the pawnbroker insists that only wealth matters in the world.
The boy collects enough money to travel to Paris, but as he prepares to leave, he discovers that the girl's father has been killed in an accident. The boy stays for one more day and hears the grieving girl crying all night, and the next day, her apartment is empty, the family having moved somewhere unknown. The boy discovers hundreds of pearls in the flooring and takes them to the pawnbroker. Desperate for the chance to become unimaginably wealthy with the trove, the pawnbroker agrees to the boy's demands for a small fortune and sells his building to the jeweler to raise the funds. As the boy leaves for Paris with the money, the jeweler witnesses a crate break in the harbor, and thousands of pearls spill out, each identical to the boy's. He inquires on their origin, and a sailor explains that they're a new import from Japan—plastic.
The grandfather explains that a story gives an object its value, implying that he had scavenged the pearls and invented the backstory to trick the pawnbroker. His granddaughter wonders if the neighbor girl had ever even existed.
Distribution The Girl Who Cried Pearls premiered at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It has been released in an English version narrated by Colm Feore, and a French version narrated by James Hyndman.
The film was subsequently screened at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was the winner of the award for Best Canadian Short Film.Pete Hammond, "‘Hamnet’ Wins Oscar-Predictive Toronto Film Festival People’s Choice Award". Deadline Hollywood, September 14, 2025.
Reception The film was named to the Toronto International Film Festival's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2025.Jamie Casemore, "TIFF unveils 2025 selections for Canada’s Top Ten features, shorts". Playback, January 6, 2026.
Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Academy AwardsMarch 15, 2026Best Animated Short FilmChris Lavis and Maciek SzczerbowskiAnnecy International Animation Film Festival2025Benshi AwardAnnie Awards2026Best Animated Short SubjectJamie Casemore, "NFB’s The Girl Who Cried Pearls secures Annie Award nomination". Playback, January 7, 2026.Bucheon International Animation Festival2025AniB's Choice Award Canadian Screen Awards 2026 Best Animated Short Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, Julie Roy, Marc Bertrand, Christine Noël Jamie Casemore, "CSAs ’26: R.T. Thorne’s 40 Acres leads cinematic arts winners". Playback, May 28, 2026.Cinemania2025Compétition Courts métrages québécoisChris Lavis and Maciek SzczerbowskiCountryside Animafest Cyprus2025Young Audience CompetitionOttawa International Animation Festival2025CFI Award for Best Canadian AnimationToronto International Film Festival2025Best Canadian Short Film
See also List of submissions for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
References
External links
Official Trailer on YouTube.